January-, '14] FERTILIZERS IN CULTIVATED ORCHARD. 



21 



Plot 8. — This plot, ■which receives an excess of phosphorus, does not show as 

 good an average gain as Plots 6 and 7 and a glance at the yield in 1908 

 shows the plot to be a little lower in yield than any other. Table No. 

 18, however, does not reveal any lack of twig growth, which may be 

 taken as a reasonable indication of general vigor. This would seem 

 surprising when we consider the low percentage of phosphoric acid in 

 this soil. As was seen in Table No. 2 we only have .05 per cent of 

 phosphoric acid in the surface soil and .04 per cent in the subsoil. The 

 general appearance of the trees also is up to the standard of the other 

 plots. There is no apparent reason why Plots 8, 9 and 10 should be 

 lower in yield as the trees are good, but a certain variation in plants 

 themselves must be expected especially when dealing with apple trees. 



Plot 9. — This plot while failing to respond to the excess nitrogen by an 

 increased yield does show au increase in twig growth over the plots on 

 either side of it as is indicated in Chart III. The size of fruit also 

 shows an increase as compared with any plot preceeding it. 



Plot 10. — This plot receiving an excess of potash and the last of the series 

 of fertilized plots again failed to surpass Plot 5 in yield and growth, 

 but is notable in the increased size of fruit as is seen in Table No. 6 

 and Chart IV. It has the largest percentage of No. 1 apples, the small- 

 est percentage of No 2, and next to the smallest percentage of culls, 

 there being slightly fewer in Plot 11. Potash has long been heralded 

 • as the first essential for apple orchards, producing more fruit, better 

 color and a generally superior product, but again in this experiment 

 it fails to produce "the goods." However, the increase in the size of 

 the fruit is very notable in both Plots 9 and 10 and if the yield had 

 been increased as well as the size we would here have something quite 

 favorable to report for the use of fertilizers. Mr. Curry, chemist, New 

 Hampshire Experiment Station, has shown that our soils are generally 

 rich in potash. 



Plot 11. — This plot, which crosses Plots 7, 8, 9 and 10 with a dressing of lime 

 (first applied in 1909) behaves much the same as the other plots. The 

 twig growth is the same as Plot 5 and the yield much the same as the 

 other fertilized plots. In 1910 it showed a higher yield but this could 

 scarcely be attributed to the application the previous season and it has 

 failed to maintain a higher yield in 1911 and 1912. 



Plot 12. — This plot serves as a check to Plot 11. 



TABLE NO. 7. 



Plot 1. In Sod. 



Average number of apples per tree. 



Number of trees 8. Acreage in plot .68 acre. 



